


Change of plans

by Forbidden Donut (Supertights), Supertights



Category: The Changeover - Margaret Mahy
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Biracial Character, F/M, Horror, New Zealand, Omens & Portents, Supernatural Elements, Witches, Wordcount: 100-2.000
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-05-10
Updated: 2011-05-10
Packaged: 2017-10-19 05:45:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/197578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Supertights/pseuds/Forbidden%20Donut, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Supertights/pseuds/Supertights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the holidays and for Laura Chant, that means babysitting her brother, Jacko.  The Changeover is not so much forgotten as filed in her memories as a rough time had by all, but lately, she's been  troubled by warnings, premonitions of danger and death. The last time she had one of those, her brother nearly died. Also home for the summer is Sorry Carlisle, and he has plans too, grand ones that involve spells, charms, familiars and late nights snogging with the object of his desire Laura. And all the while, in the background, the Carlisle witches wait patiently, for there's so much more they can teach Laura if only she was willing to learn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Change of plans

**Author's Note:**

> The Changeover by Margaret Mahy was first published in 1984 and won the Carnegie Medal for that year, was the ALA Best Book for Young Adults, the School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, the Booklist Editor's Choice, a Boston Globe-Horn Honour and remains one of my all-time favourite novels.
> 
> I've tried very hard to keep the tone of the original novel in mind and on my fingertips while writing these characters who are so dear to my heart, I hope that comes across.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the novel, The Changeover.

"Mother said you could stay with us if you don't want to go slumming it at the beach, Chant," Sorry whispered in her ear, his warm breath tickling. "Though the thought of you in a swimsuit is appealing."

Laura got the distinct feeling if he thought he could get away with it his tongue would be licking her. She gave him a warning look. Her mother, Kate, was only a few feet away and still under the delusion that Laura was just _dying_ to go to the beach and spend her summer holidays swanning around in a bikini she last wore four summers ago, before she grew up and out in all directions leaving her with thunder thighs.

"I like your thighs..." he murmured, still psychically attuned to her. "Hey, Kate, Mother asked if Laura could come and stay with us for a few weeks, shall I tell her it's alright?"

Kate glanced up from packing her younger brother Jack's bag. At five he was eager enough to do it himself but had disappeared out to the car with Chris, Laura's new stepfather. They were chattering away while checking under the bonnet. "I guess so, if Mrs Carlisle is asking... and if Lolly wants to."

Laura suddenly felt trapped. No matter what she did, she would be wrong.

Sorry corrected her enthusiastically. "Ms actually. Mother never actually married. I'm a bastard child and all that."

Jack appeared in the doorway right at that moment. His eyes widened comically and he cackled, "Sorry said bastard, Mum. Make Sorry say sorry." Then laughed as if it were the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

Sorry grinned. Laura glared at her brother.

Kate took on a long suffering look. "Lolly, go pack your bag please. Chris and I will drop you off later and make sure it's still alright with Sorenson's mother."

Laura caught the sly triumphant grin on Sorry's face and pushed him out into the hallway. "You should head home and warn your mother," she said in a low voice so her own wouldn't hear.

He hung his head slightly. "You knew the whole time?"

She rolled her eyes. "It was quite obviously another Sorry seat-of-his-pants plan."

"Nice to know you're thinking about my s-s-seat and my p-p-pants, Chant." He stammered slightly, leaning back against the hallway wall. "I missed you." He put his hands on her hips, dragging her towards him and pouted. "And I wanted to watch you pack."

Grinning, she said, "You just wanted to get a look at my underwear, you perv."

Sorry sighed dramatically. "We male witches are so misunderstood. Besides, it's not like your uniform used to be so short you..."

His train of thought was lost when Laura smacked him in the arm. He rubbed the sore spot, making an "ow" face. Then risked it all for a quick kiss. She leaned into it before putting her hands on his chest and shoving him towards the front door.

"Go," she whispered. "Let your Mum know I'm coming to stay."

He winked back at her and was gone. She heard his scooter rev up and whine as it raced off down the road.

Smiling to herself, she walked back towards her room when it hit her. A warning.

 _

"Something is coming..."

_

Her inner voice was gone as quickly as it had come, leaving her mystified as the warnings usually did. She would need to talk to Sorry's mother about it later.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at fanficdotnet under my pseud Forbidden Donut, I have archived "Change of Plans" here in the hopes it will break my crippling writer's block and inspire me to continue the story. When I wrote this a few years ago, I was convinced that no one would be interested in a tiny fan ficlet based after a novel that was over twenty years old. Boy was I wrong about that! It still stands with what I consider an authentic echo to the source material, just shuffled along a few years.


End file.
